This season has been even worse, with Celek on pace through the first six games to catch just 26 passes for the year.

Kelly looks at those numbers and at Celek's $4-million salary for 2014 and doesn't blink when he all but suggests Celek is underpaid.

"When you talk about what a Philadelphia Eagle looks like," Kelly said last week, "Brent Celek is what a Philadelphia Eagle looks like."

Kelly and the rest of the football community knows that Celek, who owns career highs of 76 catches, 971 yards and eight touchdowns (all achieved in 2009), is the same receiver he's always been, that he hasn't lost a step or his nerve or the ability to get open.

He's just been asked to fill a different role that's transformed him into a scourge for fantasy players worldwide, especially because of what the Eagles faced early in the season, with three starting offensive linemen out due to injuries or suspension.

Celek has been helping out with the dirty work — tight end is an offensive line position, after all — so selflessly that Kelly couldn't help but point it out to the public.

"Awesome" also is the word teammate and second-year tight end Zach Ertz uses to describe Celek.

"He's helped me out in every way," Ertz said. "That's the way he is with everybody."

Celek has helped Ertz so much that the younger player is now a much bigger component in the passing game, having caught 19 passes for 306 yards and a pair of TDs.

"Sometimes I have to stay in and block, so there hasn't been as many opportunities to catch passes," Celek said, "but it doesn't mean you're not helping the team."

And therein lies the ironic rub.

Celek is being asked to block more than Ertz because he's much better than Ertz in that phase of the game. But in doing so, he's sacrificing pass-catching statistics that too often are used to evaluate players.

Yet it doesn't matter to Celek, the only starter whose numbers have dwindled since Kelly took over last year.

"I love it here," he said." As long as we keep winning football games, that's all that matters.

"We also have other good tight ends who can make plays in the pass game, can make plays in the run game. So we've got a good group of guys and we can spread it around."

After Celek contributed a season-high four catches in a 27-0 shutout over the New York Giants on Oct. 12, Kelly seemed more fixated on a game from last season.

"He's the ultimate," Kelly said. "You go back to the Detroit game a year ago when we're finishing the game off and he catches the ball in the open field. Instead of running it into the end zone — and then we have a kickoff and our defense has to go back on the field — he hook slides and gives up an opportunity to get a touchdown so we can just take a victory and get off the field."

The play was almost identical to what former teammate Brian Westbrook did to help the Eagles preserve a victory over the Dallas Cowboys in 2007. In both instances, killing the clock was a better option than scoring and giving up possession.

And it was no coincidence.

Celek was a rookie on that squad, and he tucked away that memory for future use.

That's what Celek has brought to the table for eight seasons.

He may not have the best hands in the league, as we've witnessed over the years, but he does have the best mindset, and he's proved just as valuable to the this team, if not more, when he isn't being targeted.

Celek would have every right to be angry or hurt or confused about his role as the team's starting tight end these days.

He's none of that, which is why Kelly loves him so much.

Satisfaction, according to Celek, comes from doing what has to be done.

"It's just the fact that I come to work every day and try to be as consistent as possible and do what they ask," Celek said

"Culture," Kelly exclaimed on the sideline during the Giants game, "beats scheme every time."

Because Celek is a culture guy who also happens to fit any scheme, Kelly will take him any time.

Despite being less involved than ever as a pass catcher since Chip Kelly has taken over as head coach, Eagles tight end Brent Celek's value might never be higher than it is now, to hear Kelly tell it. Here's a look at Celek's career statistics: